ITV has axed its long-running Saturday morning kids' show SM:TV Live, after the once-invincible programme surrendered its ratings lead over BBC1 rival The Saturday Show.

Steven Andrew, ITV's controller of children's programmes, has ordered a new Saturday morning show from Carlton and independent production company The Foundation.

The new ITV1 show will launch early next year and will be aimed at a four to 12 year old audience.

But Mr Andrew has recommissioned Saturday morning music show CD:UK, which runs after SM:TV from 11.30am, and presenter Cat Deeley will be staying with the programme. CD:UK will run through to the end of 2004.

"After five fantastic years of SM:TV, we all recognised it was time for a change on Saturday mornings. We've gone for a show that is all about fun with a team with bags of fresh ideas," Mr Andrew said.

"I'm confident that the new show, teamed with CD:UK, now a real fixture on Saturday mornings, will be a compelling proposition for kids," he added.

ITV1's new Saturday children's show will feature a broad range of content including games, sketches, music and acquired programmes, as well as interactive elements.

For this autumn, Mr Andrew has ordered a run of SM:TV Gold, which will feature highlights of the programme over its five year run, interspersed with live links and games.

SM:TV launched five years ago with a presenting line-up of Anthony McPartlin, Declan Donnelly and Deeley.

The show overtook BBC1's Saturday morning ratings champion Live and Kicking in late 1999.

SM:TV's ratings began to slide last year, after McPartlin and Donnelly left the show at the end of 2001 and Deeley followed suit in March 2002.

Live and Kicking was axed in 2001 and its replacement, The Saturday Show, at first struggled with Dani Behr and Joe Mace as the main presenters.

But The Saturday Show was relaunched last autumn, fronted by Fearne Cotton and Simon Grant, and has been running neck and neck in the ratings with SM:TV since around February this year.

But BBC1 is not resting on it laurels on Saturday mornings, with Richard McCourt and Dominic Wood, who present CBBC's weekend show Dick and Dom In Da Bungalow, shifting to the flagship channel for a new show when The Saturday Show finishes its current run in the autumn.